Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-09-22
DAILY HERALD.
man Of Great AbIlity.

Two men who had Just arrived in
the White Oak settlement" were
speaking of some one named Tomp,,
kins, when an old fellow who haa
been standing near advanced ana
said:
"You air talkin' about young Tohe
Tompkins, reckon" :.
"Yes., one of the men replied.
'sAre YOU acquainted with him"
"I reckon | oughter be, when he
used to be my stepson, before his
NANNY got a divorce from me, like
she dun from his father an married
another teller. Tobe has got the
brightest mind o. any man i'll this
here community. You may talk
about Steve Parker, that's gone to
Congress, an Alb Joyner. that be-
longs to the Legislator, but Tobe he's
Jest nachully got the mind"
"Smart, is he?"
sSmart WY, he just nachully lays
over anything in this community an
when it comes to sense, wy thar amt
nobody in the state that ken touch
these here folks. Smart, wy lemme
tell you, if Tobe amt the Gov'ner o.
this yer state befo' the next six years
thar'll be slachern' sight o. folks in
this part o the country that will be
goin' 'roun akin the reason why.
Smart-w'y, lemme tell you what he
done. He had old one-eyed,
stumblin' sway-back hoss, rope
bride an saddle made outen
sheep-skin an some bar'l slaves. The
folks laughed at him fur riggin' up
sich layout, but, never mind, says
he. old marster has made big room
in this here community for feller to
snatch OF ability an swing it around
by the the tall an, gentlemen, let
me tell you that he done it. He
started out with that disgustin' rig,
an before the end O. two weeks he
had as high steppin' hoss as you
ever seed, saddle that made noise
like year-old baby a-cryin', an a
bride that looked purity enough to
take holder an chaW."
''He was lucky" said one of the
men.
"Lucky? Wy, l tell you that he's
got the brightest mind in the State.
Lucky? Step out in the road an
make hoss, bride an saddle.
Smart-w'y, let me tell you. He had
ole cow that you couldn't a squz
morn ten draps o. milk outen with a
cider press. What did he do? Let
her die on his hands, like a smart
man woulder done? No, sir. He
started out, an in less than week
he came back drivin' a great big fat
COW that laid the dust with milk as
she walked
"He is unquestionably skillful
trader"
"a skillful trader! You've hearn
o. genius, l reckon? Well, Tobe's a
genius-a plum flat-footed genius"
"And you think he will be Governor
of this State, eh ?"
''Just as shore as you liv this mint.
Wy, sir, lemme tell you; with his
genius he ken take the office O. justice
o. the peace an keep tradin' fur fust
one office an then another, till the
fust thing you know he'll land slam
bang in the Governors cheer. Smart |!
Wy, sometime ago, befo' the folks
acknowledged his genius, he fell in
love with a gal so ugly that the green
persimmons fell often the trees as she
went along the road. What did he
do? Did he marry her? Well, no.
He started out tradin', and now he's
engaged to be married to the purttiest
woman in the State. Oh, thar haint
hardly nothin' that's beyond the
reach o. his ability. He's Jest
nachully bright, an as l say, if he
amt the Governor o. this here State,
you kin skim the 'stonishment often
this community with spoon. ."-[ Ar
kansas Traveller,